Chronology Odyssey
by FlippythePenguin
Summary: Rosette Christopher has traveled alone through the Astral Lines for a long time. But suddenly she is with Chrno again. But there’s a catch- she’s in the past, and Chrno is still a Sinner, and Magdalene knows more then she lets on.
1. Prolouge

**Title:** Chronology Odyssey

**Author:** FlippythePenguin

**Rating:** PG-13

**Pairings**: R/C. Others will be announced later.

**Summary:** Rosette Christopher has traveled alone through the Astral Lines for a long time. But it seems God has given her a break, because suddenly she is with Chrno again. But there's a catch- she's in the past, and Chrno is still a Sinner, and Magdalene knows more than she appears.

**Warning**: This contains character death, and views of religion that may not coincide with your own views. If you do not agree with them, please don't read.

**Disclaimer**: Chrno Crusade is property of its respective owners. I'm not stealing anything.

My beta XattilaX-theMONKEY. She is the beta of all my stories. If you catch something that I have not, or she has not, please inform me of those mistakes so I can correct them. Thank you!

an. this is a side story that has been on my mind the past couple of months. i will update when i get the time, but my main focus will be on winter lights.

**Prolouge**

She no longer knew how long she had been dead. It could have been days, months, years. Time was so still here, so cold and so very lonely. This place should have been welcoming, should have been everything she had read in her Bible when she was still breathing, living.

Here, she drifted.

Time passed. She was aware of this, but she could not find any proof in the blue light that surrounded her. The waves flowed endlessly, and she could not decipher any simple drop in the large flow.

She thought mostly of her life as Rosette Christopher. She thought mostly of her life she left behind, the way she had died peacefully, frightfully, with Chrno by her side. They had died together, she knew they had, but she was alone in this place.

Sometimes, if she listened hard enough, she thought she could hear Azmaria whispering prayers in her ear, singing songs into the distant clouds. But not matter how hard she tried to hold on, the moment would slip away and she was left alone and cold again.

She retained her physical form. She did not understand how, but she had. She still had her fingers, and her toes. She still could feel the weight of her long blonde hair as it fell down along her neck and lay on her back.

She was also aware that she had not a stitch on her body.

If she had not been dead, she would have felt embarrassed. She would strive to cover herself, and would look around suspiciously for any signs that the Elder was nearby, trying to take a peek at her.

She felt nothing. Not in this place.

Few emotions had remained. She did not know why. Sometimes, when she gathered enough strength to bring herself to question, she wondered if it was the absence of Chrno by her side. When Chrno was with her, she always felt whole. She felt safe, and loved.

But he was not here. She was alone, so lonely and cold.

Her heart was frozen. For the longest time, as she floated in the blue waters, she would reach a hand to the base of her throat and wonder why she felt that something was missing. She felt broken, like she had been torn apart from more then just her life.

At the moment, or what she thought could be considered a moment, she was dancing as she drifted. She could have been reenacting something out of a love story, those damn dime novels Joshua had loved so much.

Joshua. Her heart hurt so, so much. She pushed away those harmful memories, until she was alone again, with no blue eyes haunting her. Where no purple eyes cried with her.

The blue surrounded her. She loved the texture, the feel of the emptiness. In it, she could not bring herself to feel hatred. She did not want to hate her God. She loved her God, she did.

But she loved Chrno, too. And God kept him away.

She lifted her arms to cover her eyes, as if to forcefully push away that hatred, that pain and hurt. She wanted to feel nothing, to see nothing, to be nothing. Because if she was nothing, she would be able to survive an eternity in the Astral Lines.

Tears, cold tears, ran down her arms, and she lifted her head and paused mid step as the river flowed and swelled around her.

She opened her mouth, her throat constricting as she tried to say her first words since she had died and come to this place-

"I want to see you again, Chrno."

The words had barely left her lips before a feeling of disorientation had her sinking to her knees. The world around her was disassembling, as if the very fabrics were being torn apart by the force of the suddenly dark, dark blue of the Astral Lines.

The river swelled over her, pushing her lower and lower, even as she tried to open her mouth to scream something, anything.

Rosette Christopher was only aware that she was drowning.

**TBC. . .**


	2. Chapter 1

**Title:** Chronology Odyssey

**Author: **FlippythePenguin

**Rating: **PG-13

**Pairings:** R/C. Others will be announced later.

**Summary:** Rosette Christopher has traveled alone through the Astral Lines for a long time. But it seems God has given her a break, because suddenly she is with Chrno again. But there's a catch- she's in the past, and Chrno is still a Sinner, and Magdalene knows more than she appears.

**Warning:** This contains character death, and views of religion that may not coincide with your own views. If you do not agree with them, please don't read.

**Disclaimer: **Chrno Crusade is property of its respective owners. I'm not stealing anything.

My beta XattilaX-theMONKEY. She is the beta of all my stories. If you catch something that I have not, or she has not, please inform me of those mistakes so I can correct them. Thank you!

**Chapter 1: ****Shaken**

AD 1863

The countryside flew by outside the open window of the horse drawn carriage. Mary Magdalene was watching the scenery with eager eyes. She had seen the world through her memories, had seen countless battles and wars. But she had never truly experienced them for herself- and she felt as if this time, she could.

The kind priest that sat across from her was watching her with gentle eyes, as he had been since she was very small.

She knew _all_ about him. She knew he lost his family when he was young, and had joined the order as soon as he was able. He had wanted to feel as if he could accomplish something, anything, in his lifetime. She also knew that just by guarding over her made him feel as if he had achieved his goal.

"If we go to the order, I was wondering. . . will Chrno be there?" She asked him.

He blinked, and asked kindly, "Chrno?"

Mary smiled. "I see him in my dreams. He's dark and tall, and very frightening. But he's _crying_. Why does he cry so? If I meet him, I do think he will tell me."

"If you dream of him, I'm sure you will meet him and when that day comes, you will know."

Mary nodded, and turned to look out the window once more.

But when she turned her head, she no longer saw the countryside. She saw a sight she had been growing vastly familiar with. Behind her eyelids, she saw a blonde girl standing, staring at her. Mary felt as if she should know this girl, something about her was that familiar.

This girl, she did not know a name for her. But Mary was aware that this girl was to be set in a very distant future. She was aware that her own fate was intertwined with this girl, but she did not know how they were connected. She only was aware that they were.

The young woman smiled, and Mary started. The girl had never taken notice of her before, as she shouldn't.

"Soon," the vision whispered, and the girl melted before her eyes until only the countryside remained.

"Mary? Are you alright?" The priest leaned forward, his eyes wide with concern.

Mary was aware that she was breathing irregularly. She took a large gulp of air, and let it out slowly.

"I'm fine," she whispered.

* * *

**7 years later.**

AD 1870

The library was dark. The single candle cast a dim glow across the table and around the shelves of books surrounding. Mary sat quaintly at the small table, dipping her quill into the ink bottle beside her and writing on the small journal that was set in front of her.

She paused, as she became aware that this was the time. Chrno was almost here. She was alert the moment that he entered the room, and hid among the shadows cast over by the high bookshelves. He watched her for several moments, before taking a few hesitant steps forward.

She could feel his doubt.

"Hmm," Mary hummed, and looked over. She knew without a doubt that Chrno was going to emerge. She watched as his outline became visible, and he was almost inside the light. She wanted to know if he looked the way he did in her dreams.

"You're Magdalene, the Holy woman, I presume?" His voice was kind, gentle. It sounded like liquid, and she contained a shiver. This was it. She was meeting him.

"Ah. Who else would you find inside this cage of gold?" Mary watched him jump as though he were startled. This puzzled her. It was the truth, so why did he look so surprised?

"I've been waiting all this time to meet you," she decided to say honestly.

He stepped forward, and she could fully see him in the light. He was tall, several feet more then herself. His hair was purple, and his wings were beautiful. His eyes were shaded by the lights above, but she thought they were red. It appeared that they were glowing, at least. He was dressed strangely, but she had to suppose that for a Devil it was normal.

"Me?" he asked her, and she smiled.

"Yes. I have known you would come for me. That day has arrived. . . Chrno."

He tensed. "You. . .know my name?"

Before she could reply the affirmative, there was a flurry of movement from all corners of the library. The doors were flung open, and the Order pooled in, weapons in hand. Mary knew that they were arriving, but chose to ignore them. She was captivated by the weary look on Chrno's face.

She took a delicate step forward, and rested a hand on his chest. He looked down at her, surprise evident behind his molten eyes. From behind her, Ewan Remington stepped forward, drawing his sword. Mary almost turned, but chose not to. Remington was strong man, it was true, but he only saw her as being sent by God and nothing more. She would not submit to his will when her fate stood before her.

"Now Devil, step away from the Holy woman!" Remington said imperiously.

Chrno's eyes narrowed at Remington from over Mary's head, and she heard his thoughts as clearly as her own. _Who do you think you're talking to, you fool? _

"Please, Blessed One, come to me," Remington pleaded.

Mary ignored him, and briefly shut her eyes, willing Chrno to hear her. _In 6.2 seconds he will strike your shoulder from above._

Chrno jumped. "Huh?"

She almost grinned.

_Don't worry. As long as I am here, they will not shoot._

"I command you, release her!" Remington roared, before charging after them.

The next instant happened so fast that Mary's head began to hurt. Chrno dodged the attack that Remington had meant to kill with, and the devil took ahold of her, and lept into the air_._ Her face was pressed against his chest and he felw into the rafters above and through one of the large glass windows.

The glass fell down to the ground as they took flight into the air, and Chrno erupted into gold light and flew so impossibly fast that Mary couldn't even open her eyes.

When the wind died down around her face, and she was able to open her eyes, she was met with the sight of the countryside far below. In the near distance, there was a small mountain of rocks, in which a peaceful river nestled by.

They passed over a small field of flowers, and Mary was overcome with a feeling of dread.

_But why? _She wondered.

Chrno landed beside the river. He gently released Mary from his arms, and she was hit with cool disappointment. It had been nice to be touched. Nobody would, because of the stigmata carved into her. She was fated to be God's chosen, and that was the life she was forced to lead. A lonely one.

Suddenly cold, she walked a short distance from Chrno so that she stood beside the waters. She closed her eyes, trying to let the air around her soothe her.

"So. . .you can see the future?" Chrno's voice tore through her revere.

She turned to look at him. "Isn't that the reason why you came for me?" she asked him, puzzled.

He looked away, and she knew she was right.

With a soft sigh, she looked to the ground."I am fated to carve the seven sorrows of the Virgin Mary into the path I walk."

She could feel him staring at her.

Mary looked to him once more. "So may I assume that is what you desired. . .Mr. Sinner?" she added a teasing tone to the end, sure that it would get to him. She was correct.

He glared at her, and huffed.

"Don't look at me like that," Mary said.

Chrno scowled, and Mary dug through her memories, trying to piece together everything she knew of him. She was immediately hit with a feeling. One that was of a certain desire. She began to speak, softly reading this feeling she was getting from him and one she knew of the future.

"You are afraid of hurting people, aren't you?" she could see the answer in his eyes, and was overcome by a horrible understanding. " And there was no reason to hurt anyone earlier. However, the day will come when you will hurt someone. You will have no choice."

She stepped forward to cradle his face with one hand, as if to force him away of this horrible fate. He stared down at her with marvel. "You desire to avoid hurting anyone is childish and naive, I'm afraid. It is simply the natural course of things for beings with hearts."

"That's rather harsh," he said softly. Pain clouded his voice.

"You cannot expect to protect one person without causing harm to another. If you live it is unavoidable. Everything that is has been for the dream." She dropped her hand. "Because you were prepared for that, you came and took me away."

Chrno sighed, and shook his head with amusement. "Can you see through everything?"

"Heh, just events," she admitted. " I cannot read minds. . .mostly." She took a step back, and felt the ground slip away behind her. Her eyes widened, and she felt herself slipping backwards towards the water below.

But Chrno caught her, one hand on her back gently.

She rest in his arms for several moments, before whispering, "Thank you."

And in the distance, a scream could be heard.

* * *

Rosette was disoriented.

In fact, she could almost imagine that she was pressed against grass. That she lay stretched out on the ground resting on her stomach. She could almost feel her dry lips and dusty throat, almost smell flowers in bloom around her. And the sounds, god the noise of a river babbling only a short distance away.

She knew it was impossible. The Astral Lines was empty of all those senses, and she would always remain within those boundaries. She would always see, feel, hear, taste and smell nothing but empty disregard in that river of life without comfort.

Then why could she truly feel the weight of her hair, and not the imprint of a memory?

Rosette slowly opened her eyes, and gasped in terror. _What had happened?_

She was in the world. Not the world that created life, but the actual world with actual surroundings. But she had never seen these memories for herself, for a reason she could not fathom, she _knew_ this place.

It was beautiful.

Rosette slowly sat up, licking her dy lips as she ran a hand through the thick grass she lay upon. This world was real. She was truly here, she was truly back home.

_No, not home_, she decided. It would never be home, not unless Chrno was with her.

Flowers were in bloom all around her. It was beautiful, surreal, and she began to quiver with fear.

Where _was_ she_? _

Rosette trembled as she tried to slowly stand. Her legs shook and her arms were exhausted as she slowly pushed herself to her feet. Her eyes were fixated on the sky above, the vast blue sky in which the Astral Lines pulsated from far above. She reached a hand up, as if she could touch the Astral Lines and find her answers there.

She choked, and realized that tears were pooling around her eyes. She reached up to touch them, and slammed her eyes shut as she tried to will away the fear and the sadness until only emptiness would remain.

It did not work. More tears fell, so very many tears that sobs got lodged in her throat and burst forth with a startling vengeance. She could not stop this flow of sorrow, even though she had been able when she had drifted in the Astral Lines.

What had changed?

She began to walk slowly through the flowers, praying that if she could only walk far enough that she could find some sibilance of something, anything, that made sense. She knew it was a long shot, but it was the only choice she had. She was in the place, and it was so very _wrong_. She should be back in the Astral Lines feeling nothing.

Her feet grew sore as she strode slowly across rocks. The flowers were behind her, and she was moving forth. She was unsure of where she was going, but she only knew that the beauty around her was frightening. She did not want to see it.

Before her was a small mountain. She could see a path several feet above her, and she stared at it for several long moments. She lifted her arms and grabbed ahold of several rocks, pulling herself up higher and higher as she was overcome suddenly with an exhilarating idea.

Maybe if she rose higher, the Astral Lines would suck her back in! Maybe she would be accepted back into the river of life, and would no longer suffer in this unusual place anymore. She did not want to be stuck in this place.

The ledge was closer, the path was almost within reaching distance, and Rosette took a deep breath and heaved herself up so that the upper half of her body rested along the rock wall, and her legs dangled perilously below. She managed to pull herself all the way over, and her breath caught in her throat at the sight that greeted her.

It was some sort of a river, or a lake. The water was beautiful, and it looked so very good. Her throat was so very parched, and she could almost imagine how blissful it would feel to have that beautiful water run down the back of her throat.

It had been so long since she had something to drink. And Rosette loved to drink. Almost as much as she enjoyed eating.

She jumped, a feeling of panic searing her soul. There was a terrible screaming, it sounded as if somebody was in intense pain, or as if somebody were dying.

God, was that her screaming?

She touched her lips, and they were shut. No, it was not her. But who else could be in this world with her?

Could it be. . .Chrno?

A new fear settled over her soul. Chrno. He could not scream, that would imply he was in pain. She did not want him to be in pain, because if he was in pain then surely she could feel it as if that pain was her own.

But what if, in this place, she was disconnected from him and she could no longer understand him, or his pain?

She pulled herself to her feet, and began to desperately run. She knew that the waters below were daring her to trip and fall in, and that her feet were torn and ragged from the climbing and from running without protection on her feet. _But she did not care._

Chrno was the only importance. He always ever was.

She heard voices, and froze. She trembled as she slowly began to walk towards that beautiful voice, ready to sob with the relief that Chrno was okay.

"Your horns! What have you done?!"

"With this, I am free!" another voice cried triumphantly.

She emerged from behind a small formation of rock, only to be met with the most beautiful thing she had ever seen. It was Chrno. She went to call out, ready to bawl she was so happy to see him. It had been so long! But she hesitated.

He stood with two others. He was supporting a silver haired man on one side, and a beautiful woman stood several feet away, watching them both silently. She really was very beautiful, and Rosette felt horror in her heart. What if Chrno liked this woman, this woman she had never seen before but he so obviously knew.

But then Rosette choked when she realized the man was none other than Aion. But what was Chrno doing with Aion?! Chrno hated Aion, almost more than she did! There was no way that Chrno would ever willingly touch Aion unless it was out of anger.

But Chrno didn't look angry; he looked worried.

"You can't retain astral energy without your horns! Doing this will kill you!"

Rosette wanted to sob. What was going on?

Aion looked different then Rosette knew. Blood dripped down his face, and Rosette could see something was clenched in his hands. She peered closer, and gasped.

His horns? But he didn't have horns!

"One day that will change. That is why we have her." Aion was staring at the blonde woman, who looked back at him silently.

Rosette was enable to contain herself. She ran forward, so that the trio could see her.

Unfortunately, Aion was the one who saw her first. "What the hell?" he said.

Chrno looked up, and his eyes went wide.

"Chrno!" Rosette cried, and ran forward.

The blonde girl rushed in front of Chrno, blocking the devil from view. Rosette froze, and glared at the beautiful woman.

"Move! I want to see Chrno!" Rosette shouted.

"Please, miss. You have no clothes on!"

Rosette looked down. For the first time, she realized the woman was correct. She was as bare as the day she was born, but the feeling of shame never came. _Perhaps I have been dead so long modesty no longer matters_, she thought with a hysterical edge.

"I don't care!" she said firmly. "Move aside, I need Chrno!"

"Jeez, you get all the woman, don't you, Chrno?" Aion said.

The woman glanced over her shoulder, and moved forward to drape her shawl across Rosette's waist, and tied it into a tight knot. Rosette locked eyes with her beloved Chrno, and realized for the first time that he was not small, the way he was when they died together.

He was staring at her. But it was with no recognization.

"Chrno," Rosette whispered, dreading the worst. "Do you not know me?"

"I've never seen you before in my life," he said.

That was the last spoken word she heard.


End file.
